28 July 2016

Our July splash is patriotic, huh? In keeping with the birth of this great nation, we decided that fireworks would be appropriate. I grew up in Maryland and fireworks were illegal. There was always a fireworks display for the town on the Fourth of July, and shows after baseball games, or on special occasions at the beach, but, you wouldn't just go to the store and pick up fireworks for your own personal afternoon recreation. Here in Arkansas, it's practically encouraged. Tents pop up literally overnight, like mushrooms after a rain, just in time for New Years, the Fourth and Memorial Day. We are in the habit of picking up the half price ones on July 5th so that we can have some on hand for birthdays and random afternoons. James lit these TNT look-alikes on the Fourth out in our street. Don't try this at home!

26 July 2016

Samantha is our second daughter. She is opinionated, blunt and very set in her ideas. She has no idea what she wants to "be" when she grows up and it's stressing her out. She works at Tasty Freeze after school and weekends. She's a senior in high school and she has been on dance team for six years. For the past year she has been dating a boy in her grade named Jonathan Pace. He says he wants to be an EMT.

Samantha loves doughnuts, so that's what she got for her birthday cake. She could live on fruit and hoards watermelons and strawberries in her room . She is smart (loves math, hates English). She is brave, kind and helpful. She keeps her room decently clean (it's cleaner now that it's only her in there) and she is responsible as far as respecting curfews and getting assignments finished for school. She is beautiful - a whiz with make-up, even though she doesn't need it.

Of all the kids, she is the one that wants to stay little. She's in no hurry about being an adult, even though the "adult" stuff seems to suit her - job, responsibilities, punctuality. She will be amazing once she decides what she wants to do.

20 July 2016

Meet the 2016-2017 Cabot High School Dance Team. Samantha Marie is pictured on the front row, fifth girl in from the left. She is holding an envelope which is her invitation to dance at the Liberty Bowl, in Memphis, in 2017. This means she made the All-American cut. Wow. Never had a lesson. Literally. Never been to a class, never danced for a studio. She has always only been on the dance team and learned everything at school Way to go, Samantha!